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Plex ignoring GDPR which comes into force on 25th May 2018

Answers

Watched status is data that's stored on the local Plex server that I'm running on my computer. We are talking here about data that get's sent back to the mothership. Data that Plex moves out of your area of influence and does with it whatever they please.

And IF at some point my neighbors Facebook might really be better than mine ... than the question is: "AT WHAT PRICE?!"

We are talking here about data that gets gathered through "loyalty programs", data that gets sniffed on the internet (interresting article today on a german news paper: a non-free online dating website was found to have 50 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) different trackers on their webpage), data that your phone-apps might gather, data that ... don't know where else.

Watched status is data that's stored on the local Plex server that I'm running on my computer. We are talking here about data that get's sent back to the mothership. Data that Plex moves out of your area of influence and does with it whatever they please.

And IF at some point my neighbors Facebook might really be better than mine ... than the question is: "AT WHAT PRICE?!"

We are talking here about data that gets gathered through "loyalty programs", data that gets sniffed on the internet (interresting article today on a german news paper: a non-free online dating website was found to have 50 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) different trackers on their webpage), data that your phone-apps might gather, data that ... don't know where else.

It's a f***** nightmare that has to stop.

Wow.. Okay I was just saying.. Not to offend anyone.. After all none of this even applies to me and I have no sayso in the matter anyways. But I bet watch status does in some form get sent back to the mothership.

But what does it all mean to you EU folks? I mean if you app needs this tracking info to make it work and you say no, then you are saying I'm not going to use their product.

You can certainly end up with a scenario that USA Plex works differently from EU Plex, but that's not a big deal. Netflix already do that.

But in terms of data protection and privacy, it's unlikely. Well, where the organisation is big enough to have shareholders anyway. If facebook decided to pull out of Europe because they don't want to care enough about new data protection, the shareholders in the US will react badly.

GDPR will have a global impact. Most organisations now have a global presence, and although deciding not to trade with particular nation can be explained away with clever marketing, you can't do it with an entire continent over something this sensitive without risk to reputation and share value.

IF the watched status gets send back, then I'm the first to sue Plex, because they stated that they don't know the contents of our libraries.

And about an app that needs the data ... the GDPR is not about saying no. It's federal law that all companies that host private data of European citizens need to follow. I can't say yes or no to that just like I can't say yes or no to a speed limit. But it's not a problem: GDPR makes a difference between necessary data and unnecessary data (data minimalism principle: companies are only to gather the data they need to know in order to provide their service)

Unnecessary, excessive data gathering is prohibited
Necessary data gathering is ok as long as

I can request a copy of that data

I get to know what the data is used to

I can correct wrong data

I need to opt-in on every additional use of the data that's not necessary (like analytics)

Once necessary data isn't necessary any more I can also request it's deletion

@marcelhehle said:
And IF at some point my neighbors Facebook might really be better than mine ... than the question is:

"WHO CARES?!"

IF my neighbor has a FacePlant Page he's got me beat by a mile.

Plex has already said, many times, they're not selling our data.
Yes, the fact that they really, really, really, really need it does bring up concern (ROTFLOL), but if I want my Plex to work a mothership connection seems to be a requirement.

IF (LOL) Plex is selling our data - that's about the only revenue stream they're gonna get from me - until user relations improve - and there's no immediate danger of that happening, is there?

I believe that this whole discussion may well be moot. I do not believe Plex collects any personally identifiable data except for what is needed for billing and communication reasons. I am sure that the "data collection" that is doen for those reasons is perfectly acceptable.

The only thing it seems that Plex needs to do is allow customer's data to be completely wiped.

Personally I actually trust Plex with what data they have because they have never behaved in a way to earn my distrust. The data breach they had in the past was well addressed and did not involve any sensitive, to me, information.

The other data they collect is not personally identifiable and really of no import to me.

There are a LOT of companies I do not trust with even a minimal amount of my data but Plex I do trust and I think they are mostly already in compliance and all they need to add are the reporting parts and responding to customer requests part.

Also, as I have said before, the words on paper that is the law are mostly designed to make lawyers rich and placate the users that are the most paranoid. They may have teeth but those teeth will bite the consumers much harder than they ever will the corporate entities that they are supposed to hit.

“The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.” Philip K. Dic*k (This STUPID forum software does not allow a perfectly valid last name, hence the unusual looking formating)

From a High School paper on Greek Philosophers:
"Socrates was a famous Greek teacher who went around giving people advice. They killed him. Socrates died from an overdose of wedlock."

@JuiceWSA said:
IF my neighbor has a FacePlant Page he's got me beat by a mile.

LOL! You too. That's funny. I never understood that. I use the phone to stay in contact with my friends.

@JuiceWSA said:
Plex ain't no different from anybody else that's sunk a data well in my yard.

But, yeah... I think the same way. They make $$ off your information.. Give or take.

I do not understand anti-social media at all. I have minimal You tube and twitter accounts that I use extremely rarely and that I mostly lied to create. I have no Faceboor or any other social media account. If I find that a particular email account I have is getting too much spam I close it or block it and open another if needed and change it on the few companies I deal with that really need it.

I do not even understand most of the texting that is now so pervasive. It seems just unnecessary and even wasteful.

“The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.” Philip K. Dic*k (This STUPID forum software does not allow a perfectly valid last name, hence the unusual looking formating)

From a High School paper on Greek Philosophers:
"Socrates was a famous Greek teacher who went around giving people advice. They killed him. Socrates died from an overdose of wedlock."

@marcelhehle said:
And still ... if only one of your friends allows Facebook on their smartphone access to the contacts and your contact details are in there .... Facebook knows you

Of course. I don't use facebook cause I don't want them to know me.. I don't use facebook cause I have no need for it. I have very few friends and don't give a sh*t about my HS classmates and teachers. I do not use online-media to find employment and such. I have an Android phone but it's not linked into Google not because I don't want them to know/track me, it's because GOOGLE takes over my phone and updates all the apps (that I don't use) then the phone starts to slow down.

@marcelhehle said:
And still ... if only one of your friends allows Facebook on their smartphone access to the contacts and your contact details are in there .... Facebook knows you

Friends? I don't need no stinkin' friends.

Actually no one I know well enough to share any sensitive info with is foolish enough to use Facebook or most other anti-social media.

Mostly I use throw away email addresses for communication with anyone I do not completely trust and my real name and address is never used when I create those addresses.

I'm paranoid. But am I paranoid enough.

We cannot even approach real security if we use the internet but we can take reasonable precautions.

“The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.” Philip K. Dic*k (This STUPID forum software does not allow a perfectly valid last name, hence the unusual looking formating)

From a High School paper on Greek Philosophers:
"Socrates was a famous Greek teacher who went around giving people advice. They killed him. Socrates died from an overdose of wedlock."

Mostly I use throw away email addresses for communication with anyone I do not completely trust and my real name and address is never used when I create those addresses.

If your phone number - your real phone number - is on the phone of only one person that allows FB access to their contacts than FB knows your phone number. Same for address, same for your real name if it's in the contact details.

I bet, that there is at least 1 person that has your contact details and FB! If not, then you must have been living in a cave without human interaction for the last years.

If your phone number - your real phone number - is on the phone of only one person that allows FB access to their contacts than FB knows your phone number. Same for address, same for your real name if your data is in the contact details of another persons phone.

@Elijah_Baley said:
We cannot even approach real security if we use the internet but we can take reasonable precautions.

Yeah. Where I'm from alot of peoples personal information is freely given by the government/state/county. It's a stalker's paradise. The world we live in.

True. That is another reason to avoid using one's real name when signing up for any of the internet services, even Plex, If they do not know your name or social security number then it is much more difficult to glean information from government agencies.

“The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.” Philip K. Dic*k (This STUPID forum software does not allow a perfectly valid last name, hence the unusual looking formating)

From a High School paper on Greek Philosophers:
"Socrates was a famous Greek teacher who went around giving people advice. They killed him. Socrates died from an overdose of wedlock."

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